Reliability of shear-wave elastography (SWE) for investigating cervix elastic properties in normal and benign pathological situations

Abstract

Background: Ouraim in this study is toevaluate the interand intraobserver correlationof thedi ferent shear-waveelastography (SWE)parameters (sti fness) in both control and pathological groups. Methods: Evaluations of cervical sti fness measurements were performed in 39 non-pregnant patients (21 cases without gynecological pathology and other 18 cases with cervical preinvasive cervical lesion susceptible toconization)agedbetween18–65yearsold,withoutvaginal infection other thanHPVandwithout another gynecological pathology. WeusedSWE(shearmodulus) endovaginal ultrasound. Weperformed the evaluation in the midsagittal plane of the uterine cervix with measurements at 0.5, 1 and 1.5 cm from external cervical OS, in both anterior and posterior cervical lips as well as the cervical canal. Sonoelastography was performed by two examiners, each one making two separate assessments of uterine cervical sti fness using SWE, in one single visit. Interclass correlation coe ficients (ICC) with 95% CIs were used to assess intra and interobserver measurements repeatability. Results: We obtained an adequate intra and interobserver correlation (ICC0.996–0.999)of sti fness inall anatomical sites both in normal and pathologic cervix (p < 0.005). The sti fness in normal cervix is from 38.28± 19.76 kPa vs to 61.58± 27.54 kPa in the pathological cervix. Conclusion: The SWE has an adequate intra and interobserver correlation for its use in evaluating both normal and pathological cervix.